Folding drag bar for harrows



April 9, 1929. I w. RING FOLDING DRAG BAR FOR HARROWS Filed Oct. 27, 1924 U .12 5 1 I o U 3 f, I pfl n lv s. a a U. 2

Patented Apr. 9, 1929.

PATENT OFFICE.

WALLACE RINGQOF WAKEFIELD, NEBRASKA. v

FOLDING DRAG BAR FOR HARROWS.

Application filed. October 27, 1924. Serial No. 746,140.

This invention relates to drag-bars for harrows. In the work-of farming it has been the custom to use a plurality of harrows disposed side by side and connected with a drag-bar, the advantage being that a greater area of ground may be cultivated at each movement across a field. However, the considerable length required for a dragbar for supporting the'harrow operates to a great disadvantage for the reason that it will not adequately'sustain the stresses directed thereto unless of metallic construc-- tion, and would be of objectionable proportions constructed of wood, and in order that they may be of limited weight, wood is a desirable material for use in their construction. A further disadvantage of dragbars in general use is that on account of their length required for supporting the harrows narrow bridges cannot be crossed and driving through narrow gateways is quite in'lpossible unless the barrows are detached from the drag-bar at an expense of loss of 7 time.

One of the objects of the present-inven tion is to provide a drag-bar which will adequately sustain stresses. Another object is to prevent undue upward swinging movements of the barrows occasioned generally when their teeth engage rough ground ordumps of earth, and another object is Y to provide such a construction that two of the barrows furthest from the line of draft may be swung inwardly to lie upon other harrows near the line of draft, the drag-bar being of three-part construction for this pur see, so that narrow gateways may be pa... 1 and that narrow bridges may be crossed. The invention also includes a novel and useful locking means for the parts of a drag'bar which may be conveniently operated.

l fith the foregoing objects in view and others to be mentioned hereinafter, the inention consists of the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as describedherein andclaimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings, it being. under stood that changes in form, size, proportion and minor details may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, said changes to be within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings Fig.1 is a plan view of harrows attached to the drag-bar.

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of the drag bar and harrows, the coupling pins being omitted.

Fig. 3 is a side View of rows.

Fig. 4c is a sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2 through the drag-bar and reinforcing-plates of one of the wings of the dragbar to show the mounting of the couplingpin.

Fig. 5 is a side view of a coupling-pin.

Referring now to the drawings, numeral 6 indicates a drag-bar provided with eyebolts 7 to which may be attached links 8 for supporting a connecting-bar 9 to which whifiletrees lO-may be attached.

For purposes of the invention I provide a pair of wings for the drag-bar, indicated at 11 and 12, each being pivotally connected with an outer end of .the bar 6 by means of a bolt 13, eachbolt 13 being disposed above the bar 6 and engaging in an ear 14 said ears preferably being parts of the opposed reinforcing plates15 for said wings 11 and 12. The bar 6, preferably, is also provided with reinforcing plates 16, these preferably being angular in cross section as best shown in Fig. i to be disposed at the sides and. bottom of said bar (3, all of the reinforcing plates nentioned being suitably bolted or otherwise secured to the bar 6 or its wings.

For use in connection with the bar 6 and wings 11 and 12 I have shown two harrows 17 and 18 adapted to be disposed side by side rearwardly of said bar 6, and have shown a narrow 19 supported by the wing 11 at the side of the. harrow 17, and a harrow 20 supported by the wing 12 at the side of the harrow 18, any suitable connection being provided for these harrows-with said bar 6 and its wings, chains or hooks 21 in the present instance being shown w 11Cl1 engage holders 22 provided for the harrows, and bar 6 and said wings.

As thus described it will be understood that each wing together with the harrow attached thereto may be swung inwardly to be disposed in the plane of the bar 6 and harrows 17 and 18, the wings 11 and 12 engaging the topof the drag-bar 6,, the harrow 19 being disposed upon the harrow 17 and the harrow 20 being disposed upon the harone of the bar- "row 18. It will be noted that this arrangement for the wings and harrows' maybe readily and conveniently accomplished and when thus disposed narrow bridges may be crossed and the harrows and drag bar may move in narrow passageways without inconvenienee. Y V

In order that the wings may be mainta ned in line and that any swinging movement of the wlngs relative to the bar 6 may be prevented I provide a pair of coupling pins 23 each being adapted to lock a wing to the drag bar 6. For this purpose apertures 2 1 are formed in the ears 14 of the plates 15 of the wings preferably below and in the vertical plane of thebolts 13 and apertures 25 formed in the plates 16 of the bar 6, as best shown in]? ig. 1 of the drawings, and the V coupling-pins may be readily inserted or removed, apertures 26 being provided in the bar 6 for receiving SitlCl pins. 7

The coupling-pals do not require a threadedconnection with the reinforcing plates and they may be readily removed to permit the area normally occupied by the drag bar and harrows to he reduced, and when sald pins 23 have been inserted any swinging m0ve-- mentof the wings relative to the bar (3 will be prevented, and any undue swmging movements of the harrows 19 and 20 will beprevented. It is understood of course that a harrow should be permitted to have a hmlted swinging movement so that its teeth may suitably engage the ground and undulating parts ofthe ground, but undue swinging movements for the harrows should be prevented, and therefore the wings 11' and 12' should be maintained in alignment with'the drag bar 6, and this is accomplished by the' coupling-pins and their mounting as described, r

' I claim as my invention V The combination with a drag-bar. having a pair of harrows connected therewith,

to be swung upwardly to lie upon the drag bar andto permit the harrow connected with the wing to be swung upwardly to lie upon the'respectlve first named narrow, said extensions havingholes, and coupling-pins detachably disposed in the openings and holes and in the vertical plane of the-boltsto pre vent the swinging movement of the wings relative to said drag-bar. I

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature.

; 1 IWALLACE RING, 

